Since the advent of mobile computing, electronic devices have become increasingly portable, easier to use, and affordable. As a result, the frequency with which electronic devices are used, and the circumstances and locations where used, are also ever-increasing. In fact, users of electronic devices often access such devices many times throughout a day and in multiple locations.
Increased use of electronic devices may also be related to the increases in the types of functions the devices are able to provide, as well as the ability of portable electronic devices to have increased capabilities. For instance, in the recent past electronic devices that are intended for portable use may have primarily included portable audio players (e.g., SONY WALKMAN, MP3 players, etc.), cellular phones, and laptops. Often, a single person may have had one of each type of electronic device because each had a largely dedicated function. Advances in technology have, however, now allowed processors, storage and memory devices, input/output devices and components, network communication devices, and other computing elements and systems to be smaller and more powerful. Consequently, electronic devices, including portable electronic devices, are themselves becoming increasingly smaller and convenient—often with little or no reduction in computing power or computing capabilities. Indeed, a single smartphone may now have capabilities comparable to a desktop or laptop computer of only a few years ago.
Increased computing power and capacity has also led to additional devices being produced. Currently, for instance, electronic devices may include categories of portable electronic devices such as smart phones, tablet or slate computing devices, e-readers, portable media players, digital cameras, net books, GPS devices, watches, calculators, and the like. Many of these electronic devices may also have overlapping capabilities. For instance, a smartphone, e-reader, tablet, net book, portable media player, etc. may have network capabilities to access the Internet. Such capabilities thus allow even a device dedicated to a primary purpose to have multiple functions that increase the frequency in using the device. With the increased use and portability of electronic devices, there is a growing interest in protecting these devices. This is particularly the case as the advances in technology have made some electronic devices, including portable electronic devices, very expensive, and users have an interest in protecting their investment.
Many accessories have been developed for use with electronic devices. Such accessories may provide any number of utilitarian or aesthetic functions. For instance, some accessories may provide decorative features. Other accessories may expand the capabilities or convenience of electronic devices, while still other accessories may protect electronic devices from damage.
As an examples of protective accessories, covers and cases have been developed to enclose parts of a device—and to remain on the device while in use—in order to protect the electronic device from damage. In addition to protecting the electronic device, some cases may also provide a desired aesthetic effect. More recently, thin films have been developed and used to protect or decorate one or more surfaces of an electronic device without adding much bulk to the electronic device. Widespread use of these thin films is particularly common among electronic devices having touch-sensitive screens and input devices, although thin films or other accessories are also useful in protecting other surfaces or components of an electronic device. The other surfaces or components may be protected by a thin film that is transparent, or which has some desired graphical or visual characteristics.
Users of electronic devices with thin films applied thereto, whether for protective, decorative, or other purposes, want a film that is not only thin and which minimizes any negative impact on use of the electronic device, but which does not peel off or create unsightly ridges, bumps, dimples, creases, or other features. To avoid these cosmetic issues, thin films may be cut-to-size so as to conform specifically to the shape and size of a particular electronic device. Generally, two options have been available to make custom, cut-to-size protective films. One option is to provide small sheets of thin film material that can be manually trimmed to conform to the size and shape of the electronic device. This process may be time and labor intensive, particularly for thin films that have surfaces with adhesives on them. Additionally, even small errors may result in a thin film lacking a proper fit and, thus, is undesirable for cosmetic and potentially functional reasons.
Another option has been for companies specializing in protective films to design cutting dies for use in cutting a material (e.g., a thin film) into a shape specific for use with a particular electronic device. The cutting dies may be used many times to produce large quantities of accessories specific to the size, shape, and configuration of the cutting die used during production. One or more different styles of accessories may be associated with a particular electronic device, depending on the type of accessory desired. Further, even accessories of the same general type (e.g., thin films for use in protecting or decorating an electronic device) may be have different types, and a cutting die may need to be produced for that specific type of accessory. As an example, a thin film for protecting an electronic device may provide protection for a single surface, such as a display. An alternative accessory may provide added protection for other surfaces, including side and rear surfaces. Each cutting die may therefore be associated with a particular accessory having its own SKU or identification number, and those accessories can then be produced, packaged, and sold directly to consumers, or to wholesalers, retailers, or others who may distribute the products to the end consumer.
Increasingly, manufacturers of electronic devices are keeping the electronic devices, and the specific designs and form factors thereof, unavailable until the date they are publicly released. Once a device is being sold, a manufacturer of electronic device accessories can obtain the electronic device and use the electronic device to design and produce a cutting die, stamp, or other physical tool for production of an accessory fitted or otherwise specifically designed for the newly released electronic device. However, due to ramping-up manufacturing (e.g., production of the cutting dies), shipping, and other delays, it may then be a week or more after an electronic device is released before the accessories specific to that electronic device are available to consumers. In that time, a user may have already damaged his or her electronic device or purchased a competitive product that was made available more quickly.
Additionally, because of the desire to make a accessories available quickly, large quantities of each accessory may be produced. If an electronic device ends up having a short life cycle, or is unpopular, the manufacturer or a distributor of the accessories may end up with excess supply of accessories that may ultimately end up being thrown out. Often, distributors may also look to the manufacturer to buy back excess supply, further increasing the cost to manufacturers who may also have their own excess supply. Further, because of the vast number of different electronic devices and available accessories, retailers, and particularly small retailers, have difficultly finding sufficient retail space to have a suitable quantity of accessories available for all electronic devices, and may not be able to even stock accessories for all electronic devices, or even for all electronic devices of a particular type (e.g., smart-phones, tablet computing devices, etc.). Retailers may then dedicate the bulk of retail space to accessories for the top ten or fifteen electronic devices. Accessories for other electronic devices may have to be ordered, or, where possible, a retailer may manually cut the desired accessory (e.g., a thin film into a decorative or protective film). Accordingly, manufacturers and distributors alike are challenged to make available accessories customized for a wide variety of products, while also keeping enough supply on hand to satisfy customers and minimize losses from excess purchases.